Passed
398 Yea12 Nay20 Not voting2/3 required
HR-8897-119
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sponsored by Ryan Mackenzie (R-PA)
What it does
This bill would authorize the TSA Administrator to establish a voluntary, two-year pilot program at select airports to provide expedited security screening access for adult passengers traveling with children age 12 and under. Participating airports would be chosen based on high family travel volume and adequate space and staffing. The Administrator would be required to brief Congress within 270 days of the program's launch, and the program would automatically expire after two years.
Who benefits
Families with young children who travel by air and would experience shorter or more manageable security screening lines. Airports selected for the pilot that may see improved passenger flow and throughput. TSA, which could gather data on whether family-focused lanes improve overall checkpoint efficiency. Airlines and airport concessions that may benefit from passengers spending less time in security and more time at gates.
Who is hurt
Adult travelers without young children who may experience longer wait times if checkpoint resources are reallocated to family lanes. TSA PreCheck members who could see their dedicated lanes become more congested if family passengers are routed nearby. Airports not selected for the pilot that would not benefit from any efficiency improvements. Taxpayers who may bear any administrative costs of standing up and evaluating the pilot, though no specific appropriation is made in the bill.
Supporters argue
Supporters argue that families traveling with young children face unique logistical challenges at security checkpoints — managing strollers, car seats, and children's shoes and belongings — that slow down screening for everyone. They contend that dedicated family lanes, already used successfully at some international airports, would reduce overall checkpoint congestion and improve the travel experience without compromising security, since all passengers would still be vetted through the existing Secure Flight program.
Opponents argue
Opponents argue that creating a separate screening lane for families with children could divert TSA personnel and physical checkpoint space away from standard lanes, potentially increasing wait times for the majority of travelers who do not have young children. They contend that the bill gives the TSA Administrator broad, largely unchecked discretion over airport selection and program design, and that without a dedicated funding mechanism, implementation costs could strain existing TSA budgets and staffing levels.
Constitutional context
No significant constitutional issues are raised by this bill. Congress has clear authority to regulate airport security operations under the Commerce Clause (Art. I, §8, cl. 3), as air travel is quintessential interstate commerce. The delegation of program design to the TSA Administrator is narrow and bounded by specific statutory criteria, making a nondelegation challenge unlikely.
Checks and balances
The executive branch (TSA Administrator) gains discretionary authority to design and implement the pilot program; Congress retains oversight through a mandatory briefing requirement within 270 days and the program's automatic two-year sunset.
Historical precedent
TSA has previously operated other limited pilot programs at airports, such as the TSA PreCheck expedited screening program, which began as a pilot in 2011 before being expanded nationally.
Passed